Chapter 4 of The London Prodigal is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of The London Prodigal is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
[Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.] LUCY. O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint. FLOWERDALE. Look you, Uncle, she kneels to you.
Chapter 4 of The London Prodigal is here in full — 402 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading “O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.”
an opening that permits escape or release
From this reading “[Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]”
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading “O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.”
third-person singular of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading “O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.”
incomplete skeleton of female found in eastern Ethiopia in 1974
From this reading “[Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]”
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading “[Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]”
the principal law-enforcement officer in a county
From this reading “[Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]”
wanting in physical strength
From this reading “O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.”
In this reading “O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
an opening that permits escape or release
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
third-person singular of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Look you, Uncle, she kneels to you.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Look you, Uncle, she kneels to you.
incomplete skeleton of female found in eastern Ethiopia in 1974
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Look you, Uncle, she kneels to you.
the principal law-enforcement officer in a county
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
term of address for a man
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
express in speech
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Look you, Uncle, she kneels to you.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
wanting in physical strength
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
during the time that
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
the words that are spoken
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Look you, Uncle, she kneels to you.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading [Exit all but Lucy, young Flowerdale, his father, Uncle, Sheriff, and Officers.]
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading O Master Flowerdale, but hear me speak; Stay but a little while, good Master Sheriff, If not for him, for my sake pity him: Good sir, stop not your ears at my complaint, My voice grows weak, for women’s words are faint.
Chapter 4 of The London Prodigal by William [Dubious author] Shakespeare holds 402 sentences, grouped into 81 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 4 holds 402 sentences of The London Prodigal, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The London Prodigal by William [Dubious author] Shakespeare exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 402 sentences, grouped into 81 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 81 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The London Prodigal by William [Dubious author] Shakespeare on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #?, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The London Prodigal section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 0 chapters of The London Prodigal to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The London Prodigal, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
